Zec 11:8-9, 15-17, Mal 2:1-3, 9, Mat 21:41-45, Mar 12:8-9, Luk 20:16-18 | ESV | STEP | In one month I destroyed the three shepherds . But I became impatient with them, and they also detested me.

Zechariah 11:8-9

8 In one month ^aI destroyed the three shepherds. But I became impatient with them, and they also detested me. 9 So I said, “I will not be your shepherd. ^bWhat is to die, let it die. What is to be destroyed, let it be destroyed. And let those who are left devour the flesh of one another.”

Zechariah 11:15-17

15 Then the Lord said to me, “Take once more the equipment of ^ca foolish shepherd. 16 For behold, I am raising up in the land a shepherd ^dwho does not care for those being destroyed, or seek the young or heal the maimed or nourish the healthy, but ^edevours the flesh of the fat ones, tearing off even their hoofs.

17 ^f“Woe to my worthless shepherd,
^gwho deserts the flock!
May the sword strike his arm
and ^hhis right eye!
Let his arm be wholly withered,
his right eye utterly blinded!”

Malachi 2:1-3

The Lord Rebukes the Priests

1 “And now, ⁱO priests, ^jthis command is for you. 2 ^kIf you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to give honor to my name, says the Lord of hosts, then I will send ^lthe curse upon you and I will curse ^myour blessings. Indeed, I have already cursed them, because you do not lay it to heart. 3 Behold, ⁿI will rebuke your offspring, ^{▼▼Hebrew seed} and ^pspread dung on your faces, the ^qdung of your offerings, and you shall be taken away with it. ^{▼▼Or to it}

Malachi 2:9

9 and so ^sI make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you do not keep my ways but ^tshow partiality in your instruction.”

Matthew 21:41-45

41 They said to him, ^u“He will put those wretches to a miserable death and ^vlet out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.”

42 Jesus said to them, ^w“Have you never read in the Scriptures:

^x“‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone; ^{▼▼Greek the head of the corner}
this was the Lord’s doing,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’?
43 Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God ^zwill be taken away from you and given to a people ^aaproducing its fruits. 44 And ^abthe one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and ^acwhen it falls on anyone, it will crush him.” ^{▼▼Some manuscripts omit verse 44}

45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them.

Mark 12:8-9

8 And they took him and killed him and ^aethrew him out of the vineyard. 9 What will the owner of the vineyard do? ^afHe will ^agcome and destroy the tenants and ^ahgive the vineyard to others.

Luke 20:16-18

16 ^aiHe will ^ajcome and destroy those tenants and ^akgive the vineyard to others.” When they heard this, they said, “Surely not!” 17 But he ^allooked directly at them and said, “What then is this that is written:

^am“‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone’? ^{▼▼Greek the head of the corner}
18 ^aoEveryone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and when it falls ^apon anyone, it will crush him.”